Loop of Henle

Looks like

A hairpin-shaped section of the tubule dipping into the medulla and back.

What it does

Sets up the salt gradient that lets the kidney concentrate urine.

Keeping it well

Loop diuretics such as furosemide act here; they can cause dehydration and low potassium, so blood tests are needed on them.

Related conditions

• Acute kidney injury
• Amyloidosis (AL and ATTR)
• Bladder cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• Dehydration & electrolyte disorders
• Diabetes insipidus (arginine vasopressin deficiency)
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Glomerulonephritis
• Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
• Hantavirus infection
• High blood pressure
• Hydronephrosis
• Hyperparathyroidism
• IgA nephropathy
• Kidney cancer
• Kidney infection
• Kidney stones
• Lead poisoning
• Leptospirosis (Weil's disease)
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Poisoning & overdose
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Pre-eclampsia
• Renal artery stenosis
• Rhabdomyolysis
• SIADH (inappropriate antidiuretic hormone)
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
• Toxic shock syndrome
• Tuberous sclerosis complex
• Vesicoureteral reflux
• Wilms tumour (nephroblastoma)
• Yellow fever